Of Fun and Freedom
by marketeerbubbles
Summary: The Doctor and his friends go on a dangerous mission, and with the Doctor hurt, its up to the companions to try and fix everything.


**Of Fun and Freedom**

A/N – A **huge** thank you to Jess, my BF and editor, especially being exam time.

* * *

This wasn't where he intended to be, actually, this was exactly what he had feared, but he had lost the argument earlier this morning, evening, time was irrelevant on the T.A.R.D.I.S, the point was, he had lost and now, here he was, hanging upside down, unable to move even his eyes, staring into fearful and apologetic eyes of his companions... _

Earlier on...

The T.A.R.D.I.S was rotating slowly, orbiting the now found "Lost moon of Poosh" (having been found by the Doctor and friends the week before) the silence of space swallowing the darkness surrounding the sentient ship...

"RORY! She's your wife, talk some sense into her!"

"Doctor... I really don't understand what the problem is, why can't we simply stay on the ship?" whined Amy.

"Because; it's too dangerous! I wouldn't be going either if the T.A.R.D.I.S didn't need the glowgum so desperately!" The Doctor's shoulders slumped, "You don't understand, Time Lords avoided this place, there were three places we could get glowgum, but two were lost in the Time War, now there's only this place, and it's not nice, it's dangerous, manipulative and cruel, basically it's **very** not nice."

"We get it, not nice, nasty, but what is glowgum anyway? What's so important about it?" Rory asked, coming up the stairs with a book in hand.

"It's a glowy flowery sort of... growth. It acts as a sort of food for the Old Girl; like an everlasting gobstopper! It just helps her sustain artron energy and keeps her energised"

"So it's a Battery?"

"No Rory, not like a battery, like one of those silly energy drinks you humans are always drinking, really bad for you by the way, the lot of you are going to crash in 2020 just so you know."

"Okay, so it's an everlasting gobstopper energy drink glowy flowery thing? Wait, crash? What crash?"

"Yes! No! Amy! They do die, after a few centuries, so no, not everlasting, where ever did you get that idea?"

Amy and Rory looked at each other "You, Doctor..." Rory mumbled.

"So why do you need to take us home? Why can't we come for the ride and wait in the T.A.R.D.I.S while you go gallivanting off after this glowgum stuff?"

"Because Mum, companions never do as they're told and tend to wander off."

"RIVER! When did you get here?" Amy cried, running over to her newly appeared daughter.

Giving Amy and Rory a hug, River noticed the Doctor sulking and stalking around the console, hitting things randomly and muttering to himself in some indistinguishable language.

"Just then, The Old Girl let me in. Hello Sweetie, miss me?"

"River, talk some sense into your parents, help me explain that Blergminer is no place for **any**one and that they are better off at home than here waiting for me."

"A) They are your parents in law, thus your parents too", The Doctor and the Pond/Williamses shivered, "B) why can't they wait in the T.A.R.D.I.S while we go get whatever it is? and C) Where are we?" pulling out her little blue diary.

"There's no 'we' in this River. It's too dangerous and the creatures out there can breach these walls. The T.A.R.D.I.S won't be safe, nowhere will be safe. This is a quick trip. Get in, get out, park as close as we can, dig up the flower, get out of there and at the same time drawing no attention to ourselves. Every plant has poisonous darts not to mention that the locals can possess and control you, and the ground is full of bogs and quick sand. Then there is the dense covering of tree canopies that cover most of the planet preventing light coming through, so it's eerie and spooky out there. Oh! 'spooky', (I like that word, have to use it again sometime). I wouldn't leave my worst enemy out there (and I've got a few). No; I'll be going out alone."

"Sounds fun Sweetie, and being you, you'll need rescuing. That's when **we** leave."

"AHRG! Fine. Companions and wife can stay in the T.A.R.D.I.S; not touching anything, not making any noise and NOT opening the door, no matter WHAT! Do we all understand?"

"What do you call that?" the three companions cried in outrage.

"A compromise! And I'll not hear another word about it." And with that he stormed off towards a newly appeared door off the console room.

* * *

Mumbling to himself about disobedient companions, aliens, dangers and fish fingers, The Doctor entered into the medical bay (hairdressers every second Tuesday). As he looked around, messy brown hair bobbing up and down, keen green eyes apprehensive as to the task ahead of him, he sighed. It was days like this he really missed his home. The T.A.R.D.I.S sent her sadness through to him. He patted the wall and started to work.

Back in the console room Rory had returned to his book while River and Amy sat chatting about what they had been up to and comparing stories (spoilers not included of course).

"Father, what are you so engrossed in that you can't take this opportunity to catch up with your one and only daughter?"

"I asked the T.A.R.D.I.S for some information about The Doctor's biology. We get into so much strife and The Doctor patches us up, I just thought it might be a good idea to be able to help him if he gets into trouble."

"Nice thought dad, but the Doctor is really private. Plus he can always go into a healing coma if needed."

"Actually he can't always. There are certain stimulants and poisons which can be quite harmful to him."

"None, which, until now, have been mentioned aloud in a few hundred years. Rory, I appreciate your concern, and where I'm going it is probably useful, but I would also appreciate it if you didn't share what you've learnt with anyone. Some information is better left unknown by those that would use it against me. However, you're a good friend to try, though the old girl had better have a good reason for translating that, since it's in Gallifreyan" Glaring at the central pillar he walked over and started pressing random keys. It was now that his companions noticed his newest fashion. The Doctor was sporting his usual attire along with a clear, thin suit that appeared to be made of plastic as a coverall. The only thing exposed was his face and he had goggles perched on his head waiting to fill the void. You wouldn't notice the outfit unless you really looked, it was almost completely translucent.

"I know you said it was dangerous, but what's that thin piece of plastic going to achieve?" asked River.

"It is a shield; of sorts. I made it! It can't protect me against the sort of projectiles I'm facing, but it will hide me from the local's sensory abilities, so I'll be invisible, mostly, well...small..ishly; and before you start Amy, NOTHING can stop a Blergminer projectile".

He looked quite proud of his invention.

"Shiny, definitely shiny, but better then a fez I suppose," Amy stage whispered to River, she smirked.

"I heard that Amy; River, don't encourage her, or I'll tell your parents about 'that' little bar in Moonah." The Doctor smirked, River scowled, Amy and Rory where just curious.

"We're not going to find out about this bar are we?" asked Rory dejectedly.

"Nope", answered River still having a staring contest with The Doctor. The Time Lord turning suddenly, twisted to look at Rory.

"Anyway! RORY! RORY! RORY! Before we go, since you're in the medical field and closer to the title of doctor then ANY archaeologist (sneaking a peak at River for her reaction at this then back to Rory) take this, when I come back, I'll have been weakened by the atmosphere, jab me with this once, in the jugular" Pointing a finger to the spot.

"Just the once mind, it'll help with any dart wounds and such, I may fall asleep, don't worry about it, it's a healing coma, probably, most likely, well, you'll work it out if it's not."

Giving Rory the device, a small green cylinder shaped item, he patted him on the back and turned to the console, patting her and entering the co-ordinates, a few moments later and he piped up again,

"Right we're here! Stay put, stay quiet and for once in your short lives do as your told," The Doctor said quietly, walking softly towards the doors,

"I knew the rough landings and brakes where just for show, we didn't feel a thing!" Amy exclaimed,

"Voice!" cried The Doctor in hushed tones, "be quiet, I'll be back soon", and with that, he slipped out the door.

"We'll he seems jolly for someone about to go on some 'dangerous mission'," commented Amy dryly.

"He usually does," retorted Rory.

* * *

The Doctor stepped quietly and surely through the dense under-growth of Blergminer, scanning the ground with his sonic screwdriver and being as quiet as possible, which considering it was The Doctor was, in and of itself, a difficult task. Thus far he had managed to avoid detection, he was only hoping his beloved T.A.R.D.I.S and their current companions where faring as well. He would have "touched wood" at this point in time as the old Earth saying goes, but figuring that would alert the locals to his presence, changed his mind.

Twenty minutes later The Doctor had located his prize, he quickly, quietly and as softly as possible, started digging into the moist earth, for the glowgum is an underground flower, it was then he heard the soft 'pfft, pfft, pfft' of darts being released, at the same moment he saw the small object of his desire, his hearts did a double beat; its exposure to open air would send it back down, quick as a shot, he grabbed the glowgum and went flat on his stomach. He rolled over onto his back and put his head back to look at the tree that had just been in front of him, it was full of darts. Breathing a sigh of relief he slowly and carefully raised himself off the ground and started the trip back to his ship. Thank looming for Gallifreyan reflexes he thought to himself as he walked home.

It had not gone unnoticed by Time Lord that his surroundings were becoming louder and more animated, he sped up slightly, trying to avoid detection, rather unsuccessfully at that, he broke into a run, the T.A.R.D.I.S was in sight. PFFT. As he clicked his fingers a single blood orange dart penetrated his shoulder.

After The Doctor had left, leaving his companions to wander around his incredible ship, Rory and River had headed to the library. They had left Amy to her own devices, and were discussing the probability of there being a place called Blergmajor, which was worse than Blergminor.

Father and daughter had been lounging by side of the pool for less than ten minutes, comfortable in the supplied bean bags, enjoying the quiet down time and each other and, amazingly, following The Doctor's instructions of staying quiet when they were startled by Amy's sudden shriek of alarm. The pair took off towards the console room arriving quickly only to find Amy staring at doors, trembling and holding herself in a death grip hug.

"AMY! What happened? Are you okay?" Rory asked, he wrapped his arms around looking where she was staring, it was then he saw the little girl, she was just standing there, crying, calling for her parents, she carried the patch that Lorna had made for Melody at Demon's Run. Rory Froze.

"River? Is that you, is this were you were?" he looked at his daughter, pain and sorrow evident in his eyes, Amy still hadn't moved, River stood watching the pair sadly. "That is not me, I'd remember this, I don't remember everything, but I would remember this, I would remember my parents, this must be what The Doctor was on about, we cannot trust her."

"Open the door mummy?" River and Rory turned sharply to look back at the image, it was looking at them with deep sorrowful eyes, "Please mummy, please let me in". Amy moved towards the door, still staring at the figure, she was being held stead-fast by Rory, but she was determined. "No! Amy! Don't!" Cried River and Rory simultaneously. Tears were streaming down her face, repeating "My little girl, my little girl" like a private chant. Amy pushed Rory off, she moved forward, slowly, like she wasn't quite sure of herself, hand out to touch the girl, she hesitated atop of the stairs, "Please mummy", the little girl urged again, "let me in". Rory and River were beside Amy in a second, holding her back, "Look Mother, how can she be me, why would she be asking to come in if she's already inside? Think Mother!" "Daddy please, help me centurion, you failed saving me last time, you're my daddy, let me in daddy."

"RORY DON'T!" River cried out, she hadn't been paying attention to her father, too wrapped up in her mother, he had been grasped by whatever had her mother now too, he opened the doors before River could stop him; a howling wind blew in.

* * *

The T.A.R.D.I.S moaned lowly, she had been watching the whole time, as always, they had fallen, she had known this was going to happen, she had tried to stop them, she had all her shields up, but beings of Blergminer knew how to penetrate her defences, many of her Sisters had fallen here before her. But she needed glowgum and her Doctor had felt it important for her comfort, silly humans, silly, argumentative pets of the doctor, poor stray beings, and poor child of the T.A.R.D.I.S.

"Wow, a T.A.R.D.I.S, been awhile since we've seen one of these hasn't it Inexorable?"

"Oh indeed dear Bestial."

"This one's got fire in his blood dear friends."

"Really Rainbow? I was certain that he'd be the weak one of the group."

"Ohh, now they're angry, all three, but they are not time folk, they, they want us out, they want their control back! hehe!"

"But where is the Gallifreyan? That is what we crave!"

"This one, he had a medicinal for their dear 'The Doctor'."

"We shall take this The Doctor, and with this knowledge of our new 'friends', crush him."

"But first, this T.A.R.D.I.S, we must ensure the machine's...support" And with that, they set their controlled minions to work.

* * *

The Doctor slipped back into his beloved old ship and looked around, it was quiet, too quiet, he had expected his companions to be right there waiting for him, in fact he'd been gone less than an hour. "Amy? Rory? River?" The Doctor called softly, stumbling a little as he walked further into the control room.

"Sorry Doctor!" came the voice of Rory, "we're in the kitchen, River's showing us some amazing dish with peas, pumpkin and purple squishy stuff!" The Doctor had a bad feeling about this, his companions always came running into the console room at the prospect of adventure, slowly and painfully making his way down the corridor towards the kitchen, he could hear giggles and snorts of laughter coming from the girls, he'd told them to stay quiet. "Hello Doctor, on the jugular right?" Rory said as he suddenly appeared in front of him. SHHH POP, went the injection straight into The Doctor's blood stream, it took less than a second for The Doctor to realise that the substance he'd given Rory wasn't what he'd just been given. He looked at the miserable face Rory was giving him; it looked like he was trying to talk, but that something was controlling him. Damn, his instincts had already been marred by the dart, he'd been too slow, a local had gotten in, he'd warned them, he tried to stand, to speak, but was again hit with the injection, his body was getting heavier, his movements more sluggish. One more shot, this time to the bottom left heart, The Doctor collapsed, his already weakened form giving out. He cried out in pain as his head hit the floor. He couldn't move, he couldn't speak, all he could see were three pairs of feet, the feet of his friends standing in front of him. His left heart gave out, he closed his eyes and knew no more.

* * *

Amy, Rory and River were beside themselves with grief; with no control over their actions or words, yet complete comprehension of their activities they were stumped on how to escape the clutches of their ever present yet almost invisible foes. They had discovered during their time between capture and the Doctor's return, that these new enemies knew everything they did and could access their memories, but in return, they could reverse the process and learn about them. They had learnt that these new foes were called 'Brumes', and that they were vicious and calculating. They had also learnt, rather quickly, that they could also communicate with each other on a sound wave that, while the Doctor couldn't hear, they and their captors could communicate openly.

The continuous struggle for control was tiring them all quickly, but what really tired them was fighting for the Doctor's safety. Amy and River had been forced to strip the semi conscious Time lord of his shirt, bow tie, suspenders, and all three shoes, and drag him roughly outside. He was obviously aware of his surroundings and the aforementioned going ons, but was unable to assist them or communicate with them, he couldn't even struggle. The worst part had been watching as numerous barbs and darts penetrated their friend's already pale skin as they had dragged him to a nearby tree.

Bestial and Inexorable had talked about all the fun they were planning and made numerous chastising comments about the trio's attempts at escape. They teased them, taunting them with what each different dart did to the poor Doctor. By this point Rory's wondering why he and his family had not been attacked by the natives had caught the attention of his captor.

Rainbow piped up at hearing Rory's thoughts.

"Simple dim wit, we are shielding you, the reason for our misty existence is that we adapted to our environment, but in adapting, we learnt some methods on counteracting our somewhat 'hostile' environment, moulding it around us if you will."

"But why can't you protect The Doctor then, what have you got against him!" asked River her rage barely contained. They watched as sharp vines slowly wrapped them selves round the Time Lord's ankles, waist, wrists and neck, dragging him upside down and securely binding him to the tree. Dark purple blood, The Doctor's blood, was freely flowing from open wounds and tightly wrapped vines were not helping, cutting further into his skin. All three companions strained for movement, trying to save him, but all no avail.

The six spectators watched in awe as the flora fed off the blood, growing and glowing with its newfound sustenance. The companions disgusted, the Brumes delighted.

"Enough!" Cried Bestial.

"It is time this 'superior' being learnt that he is not so high and mighty after all." A delighted and excitable Inexorable was giddy at the prospect.

"Oh may I go first, please let me go first! Bestial!"

Thoughts were going through the Brumes minds, memories of stories shared between their race for generations, the horrors inflicted by the Time Lords, enslaved, revolution, torture and abandonment. Amy and Rory looked sick as the images flashed through their minds. River on the other hand was objective; this couldn't be the truth, her studies at university, her thesis on Gallifrey, what she had read in the T.A.R.D.I.S library. Yes Gallifrey had been cruel at times, but not like this, and even then it was before The Doctors time, The High Council had seen the end of tyrannical behaviour over other species. Something wasn't right here. Bestial saw heard this; his rage was enough to hurt her, hot pain raced through her veins, Rory and Amy yelling out in panic for their daughter.

"How dare you question our heritage! What would you know; your fancy education is only from books! Ours comes from centuries of stories!"

"Stories told like a game of Chinese whispers! There's an old Earth saying about justice that goes 'every story has three sides to it, yours, mine and the facts', how can you punish those who have not had the chance to defend or explain, how can you condemn on mere stories you cannot prove!" Rory shouted, and out loud, anger overwhelming Rainbows ability for a moment, no-one noticed that The Doctor had heard, that he knew something was happening, the looks on their faces, their stress rolling in waves from them and hitting him like torrents of rain, silently crying out in pain, movement slowly returning, he watched unable to assist his friends.

"We don't know what your Chinese whispers is, but we are a proud and true race, it is the Time Lords who are deceitful!"

"You have not even heard his side! How many Time Lords have you hurt and tortured because of fairy tales? How does it make you any better than the Gallifreyans you despise?" Puffed River, Amy punched her, Inexorable laughed.

"Enough of this, we are right, you are puppets and The Time Lord's time has run out."

Controlling Amy, Inexorable started running her hand up and down the upside down Doctor's face; pulling each barb out one at a time and making sure the Doctor felt every bit of pain.

"Would you like to know why we do this to you Time Lord?" Bestial asked using River's voice.

"Because your kind hurt us, you made us this, because you and the rest of you hoity toity breed need to be punished!"

Bestial, through River, bit The Doctor, pulling his head further backwards by pulling his hair, making the vines tauter on his neck, his binary vascular system was struggling to kick in, the poisons mixing in his system were messing with him. Black spots started appearing, his biology had prevented the blood rushing to his head to quickly, but after forty earth minutes of hanging upside down it was giving out. He cried out in pain, startling his captors.

"Oh! He dances!" cried Inexorable as The Doctor started to struggle against his bonds, Amy and River watched on in horror, they realised he wasn't struggling, he was fitting! He stopped as suddenly as he had started.

The Doctor started crystallising; a thin layer of T.A.R.D.I.S blue diamond like substance was spreading slowly, starting at every visible orifice, and spreading outwards. The Doctors eyes were opened wide in horror, he was hanging upside down, staring unseeing into the fearful and apologetic eyes of his companions.

* * *

The T.A.R.D.I.S had broken free from the suppressors that were holding her back from her Time Lord. She had reached out and found the weakened form of her thief and was gently and tentatively wrapping a tendril of her artron psychic energy around him. Surprisingly enough the atmosphere of Blergminer had reacted with her, The Doctor appeared to be in a chrysalis state now.

* * *

Amy and River along with their captors were watching in morbid fascination, The Brumes probing at their weakened prisoner's mind. Normally too strong for their influence, the Time Lord's strength would burn their minds, now they were curious. Inexorable shrieked with pain!

"This is a new trap! A new cruelty of the Time Lords! They still burn!"

"It's not a trap, you can see into our minds, surely you saw he's the last of his kind! He didn't even want to be here, have some compassion, it's not his style, and he wouldn't hurt anyone unless forced too!" Amy cried.

"Really girl? River knows different, don't you dear, he's the 'Oncoming Storm, The Destroyer of Worlds', you are nothing but a naive, insignificant but arrogant and obnoxious young twerp!" Bestial replied.

"That's the meaning of twerp, genius' Rory muttered to himself.

"Besides, you lie! He's not the last, there was another not so long ago, she was delightful!" giggled Inexorable.

"She was a fighter, called herself Jenny, escaped somehow, but you won't dearies," she continued.

It was at this moment when Bestial noticed how quiet Rainbow had been.

"And why have you been so quiet Rainbow, the weakling male boring you?"

Rainbow/Rory had been oddly quiet since Rory's angry outburst earlier. With Bestial and Inexorable being so focused on tormenting The Doctor and their 'puppets', Rory had been fighting Rainbows control, and with the exception of his sparse comments made in trying maintain the illusion of being controlled, he was winning. His anger had made him stronger, his family; all three members of it need help. But he needed to suspend suspicion of the over throw longer, to keep up appearances, biding his time to launch an assault back.

Rory forced Rainbow to laugh at what Inexorable had said about Jenny, using Rainbow's own methods against him to detail the mean things he had done to the woman. Rainbow was at his mercy, and a new pawn in the battle. The details were gruesome, but at least Jenny had escaped, universe knew were to or how, even the Brumes didn't know. The scheme worked, they suspected nothing.

He had discovered while the Brumes were boasting, that he could partition his mind, keep a part of himself secret. He knew their only chance of escape and rescuing The Doctor was to purge the Brume from their minds and take control of the situation. Their mindset that Rory was the weakest was an advantage, one he was taking full advantage of. Rory the Roman, quiet achiever, and highly underestimated.

The chrysalis Doctor was still suspended, his family still trapped. Now all he had to do was find a way to get The Doctor down, free the girls and get back to the T.A.R.D.I.S without any more trouble. As if anything ever goes smoothly for anything involving The Doctor.

Bestial was hammering at the cocoon using Amy's hands, slicing them to ribbons, River was forced to join her, tears glistening along her lids, she refused to let them fall. The cocoon held fast, unmoving and un-breaking, glittering like some warped shaped sapphire.

The cocoon began to shake, a silver glitter-like substance going everywhere, The Doctor's shell creaked loudly. The Brumes watched on, River and Amy having been able to step back and watch in return. Rory saw his chance to free the girls. He took Amy's hand first.

* * *

"Can you hear me Amy, don't look at me, just nod your head slightly if you can," he whispered.

"How? I can't control my body, they'll hear us," Amy replied quietly.

"Yes you can, you just have to block off that part of your mind. It's easier than it sounds, they can only hear us if they are paying attention, The Doctor's the distraction we need to free him, hurry and concentrate, love" Rory silently behind River.

"River? If you can hear me, did you hear what I said to Amy?" Rory questioned.

"Already on it," River replied, Rory could hear the smirk in her voice.

The Brumes were talking to the vines, they paid no heed to their human captives. They poked and prodded The Doctor, not risking another mental surge. By now The Doctor's casings had fallen away, a sticky, shiny, somewhat smelly substance was just holding him to the tree, he was slowly sliding down the trunk, the vines and other flora unable to hold him. It was an epically grotesque scene.

The Doctor was fully conscious of everything that was happening, he was vaguely aware that his T.A.R.D.I.S had something to do with whatever was happening, but he was still unable to even hear his beloved ship and he still couldn't move and was still very much too weak to be able to assist at all. He had to rely on his companions.

The Brumes where getting ready for something, too, The Doctor could sense it, another mental probe most likely. If only he could access his defences, instead he started to drift off to sleep.

* * *

The Brumes probed at the now sleeping Time Lord. He could feel everything, he hurt, his blood ran hot while his body froze. The sensation was overwhelming, The Doctors eyes popped wide open, he screamed in tremendous pain, the Brumes, fascinated, continued to ignore the humans.

Rory, River and Amy took the chance, they moved at one at The Doctor's scream, they grabbed him and yanked, hard. Rory heard the snapping of bone or branch, he could not be sure. The Brumes noticed that. They stopped attacking The Doctor. They tried to yell at The Doctor's companions, they tried to contact the local habitat, nothing worked. Rory looked at them directly, their ghostly forms floating.

"Next time, remember that humans are resilient, we survive, we fight and now Mr Brume, we have you, so HELP," Rory commanded, in military commander style, Amy and River were impressed. The Brumes were forced to do so, they used the sharp edged vines to cut away the goop that held the now pale, shaking body of the Time Lord. Rory, still in charge, using Rainbow's memory, led the group, carried the Doctor as gently as they could, back to the T.A.R.D.I.S stoping only momentary to pick up some Glowgum that Rainbow had seen.

* * *

Upon arrival to the T.A.R.D.I.S, she opened her doors wide, this time, only the non-translucent got through. The Brume cried out in anger with non-sequential noises, calling for back up it was believed. River sent anger and pain towards them as a parting shot. The Doctor was ceremonially placed on the floor by the console.

"Get us out of here, River" Rory tiredly said.

"We have a lot of work ahead of us yet to help the Doctor. While we may be free of those things for now, I'm not risking us again if their friends show up."

River started the old ship up; they were in the Vortex before they could blink.

"The old girl must be worried, that was fast. Come on, let's get him to the med centre," River stated.

Using a stretcher that had suddenly appeared in the console room, Rory and River carried their stilled alien to the med bay. Placing him gently on the sterile table that was before them, Rory turned to face his girls.

"Right, first off, Ladies, your hands, how bad?" Rory, still in commando mode asked.

"Mine aren't bad Dad, but Mum's are in shreds," River said looking down at her hands and then Amy's.

* * *

The T.A.R.D.I.S hummed in sympathy. "Right, I have no idea how to use most of this stuff," thought Rory to himself, "I recognise the dermal abrasion gadget but that's basically it, how are we going to this! Right come on Rory, this is just another hospital, you can do this, its just another, really fancy, completely alien hospital."

"Amy, rinse your hands under that tap over there with warm water. River, can you please see if you can find some kind of anti-bacterial spray or ointment? We'll sort out Amy's hands, then focus on The Doctor. T.A.R.D.I.S, I don't know for sure you understand what I'm saying, but if you can scan the Doctor somehow, find what's wrong with him and how to fix it, that would be so helpful," Rory stated, turning to pick up the dermal abrasion tool.

Once Amy's hands had been cleansed and healed, Rory turned his attention towards The Doctor. Upon sensing Rory's intent, the T.A.R.D.I.S brought forward a screen that showed all the Doctor's ills, listing the different poisons and how to extract or neutralise them. She also provided a full body scan show numerous lacerations, dislocated bones, 2 broken ribs and a sprained ankle.

Rory whistled lowly, River shook her head, Amy just stared.

"What are we going to do Rory? We don't know how to use this stuff, let alone what most of the aliments are!" Amy all but cried, breaking down in tears.

"This is all my fault! I shouldn't have insisted that we stay!" Amy continued.

"Well, isn't she just a barrel full of optimism?" River said turning to Rory.

"We don't have time for this now Amy, buck up, you're stronger then these emotions, you can cry later, now, let's help The Doctor." And with that River started to remove his sodden clothing, pausing only momentarily at his bowtie, before removing that, too.

"We need to clean these wounds so we know what we are working with," Rory stated, moving to get clean cloth and warm water.

"Amy, can you please find that book The Doctor took off me earlier, it should be in the console room," Rory stated, turning his full attention to River and his friend.

After Amy had left, River gave a knowing look to Rory; he looked up from his task and winked, before going back to work.

* * *

The Doctor was aware of what was happening, being able to feel everything, he tried to reach out with his mind for his beloved ship, but found nothing, he felt so hot, so empty, his head was echoing, like time had vanished. He moaned. He wanted to fall into a healing trance, but his body wouldn't let him, the poisons cutting him off from the safe guards long held by his race.

* * *

The Doctor was as clean as they could him short of actually bathing. The T.A.R.D.I.S had picked him up gently, floating him in a kind of force field when his friends had gone to turn him over. Rory was disinfecting his wounds while River was preparing the anti venom to the ship's directions.

Rory had decided that the poisons had to be the first aliment to cure being as they were doing the most damage. The only problem was that he had no real experience mixing medicines; they were lucky that his daughter, the archaeologist, did.

Amy had slid up to River and whispered quietly, her eyebrow rising, a smirk appearing fleetingly.

"Your father will be apocalyptically cross with you if he finds out these skills were learnt by the Mels we grew up with."

"I remember you helping on occasion Mum…" River replied haughtily, and quietly back.

"Rory, the T.A.R.D.I.S says we should give him one at a time, let one poison go before the next. Starting with this one, it is also stating that he is not able to connect with her and that he is no longer in control but can feel everything," River stated, holding up a vial.

"Can we knock him out in any way, I doubt this will be pleasant for any of us, especially him," Rory replied, looking at the suspended Time Lord skeptically.

"We can't introduce anything else to his system till all the toxins are gone," River said soulfully.

"We'll be here every step of the way Doctor, I'm just going to administer this okay? The T.A.R.D.I.S said it was the first step." Rory was filling the hypodermic as he spoke, watching The Doctor for any movement. He then jabbed it in the Doctor's jugular, just like earlier, but this time, he was trying to help.

* * *

The Doctor writhed in pain; bodily fluids leaking from every cut. He screamed in pain, unable to help himself. His friends stood by the whole time. Each time one set of poisons was reported cleared, they injected another anti-toxin, it was too much but there was no choice. Too long and the poisons effects would become permanent.

Suddenly his head filled with the T.A.R.D.I.S, she was there, and she was filling him with the feeling of safety, of being whole again. His connection to the time vortex returned, he could see every possible time line. He could feel the turn of time and all the Wibbly Wobby stuff in between. He cried, he cried for everything that is or was for everything that will be, and he cried for himself and his wonderful old ship. And the pain lessened.

The T.A.R.D.I.S hummed in contentment, she had reconnected with her thief, she had turned off The Doctor's pain receptors, and she cradled him within his own mind.

It had been 48 hours since the first anti venom, time to let the pets sleep. The Doctor wasn't even half healed, but she knew humans required more sleep, that mistakes happen when exhaustion overcame them.

* * *

The lights dimmed around them, the three humans, their eyes scarcely staying open, got the message, for now, everything was going to be okay. It was time to sleep. They rose and stumbled towards their rooms.

"Night Mum, night Dad" River murmured.

"Night sweetie" they chorused back slipping into their room.

And they all four slept.

When the Doctor awoke, he was alone in the med lab, still suspended above the ground. The T.A.R.D.I.S's warm glow surround him.

"Morning old girl; seems I'm in a bit of a mess, couple of broken and dislocated bones, and a sprained ankle… hmmm, least the system is mostly clear. Nice job sexy, you did well. Where are our friends though hmm? I could use some tea and a jammie dodger."

The Doctor didn't get his tea and bickie, but he did get his friends, as they entered the room, the suspension beam that had help him steady began to lower him down onto a table.

Amy, Rory and River came bounding over, ecstatic at seeing The Doctor awake. He sighed happily,

"Hello you three, been good I hope?" The Doctor asked playfully.

Laughing, Amy responded by hugging him so tightly his respiratory bi-pass kicked in.

"Really Pond, breathing may not be as important for me as it is for you lot, but I still need to!" wheezed The Doctor.

"Give him some space, mum."

"How are you feeling Doctor? The scans report that your system is not yet completely clear of introduced chemicals, but the T.A.R.D.I.S isn't stating the next thing to do."

"You know Rory, with how quickly you respond and your knowledge, you'd really make a good doctor, but as for what is next, it's fairly simple for all of you, I need to go into a healing coma, could be out for awhile, so feel free to go home if you feel so inclined." The Doctor yawned and his eyes where already dropping.

"Funny, I usually have full control of thi..." The Doctor was asleep before he finished speaking.

Rory checked The Doctors vitals, he seems to be just sleeping, the T.A.R.D.I.S bleeped.

"He's just sleeping Dad, he didn't get a chance to prepare, and the T.A.R.D.I.S says he has a long way to go yet, that he'll be just sleeping until he is mentally awake enough to heal himself; his body, superior it is to ours, still needs rest at times," River smiled fondly at the lanky alien on the table before her.

"Anyway, who's hungry? I actually do know how to prepare an amazing dish with peas, pumpkin and purple squishy stuff!"

Amy snorted and gave her River a look clearly stating that it was too soon, though her twitching lips betrayed her. Rory shook his head and headed out having finished ensuring The Doctor's comfort.

"Come on girls, I'm thinking just regular Earth eggs and bacon sound even better."

"You realise at the moment I'm older then you right Dad, so 'girl' really is the wrong terminology?"

"Humf, not funny River, but fine, wife, old maid, will you accompany me to the dining room" Rory scowled at his daughter, proffering his elbows to the ladies.

River burst out laughing and the three companions headed towards the kitchenette, tired, worried and teasing each other mercilessly.

The Doctor smirked, keeping his eyes closed, they'd be all right, he could sleep soundly now, yawning, The Doctor drifted off into a deep slumber.

* * *

It was two days, or as near as they could tell passed in the T.A.R.D.I.S, before The Doctor awoke. Rory was in the room when he did.

"Hullo" mumbled The Doctor.

"Hello, welcome back to the land of the living, mate, you feeling any better? River said you were just sleeping, not actually healing, but you ankle appears to be healing nicely and three of your ribs and left collar bone, your…"

"Enough Rory," interrupted The Doctor.

"I get it, I'm in a bit of a mess, but in answer to your unasked question, I just heal faster and more thoroughly when I'm in a healing sleep, but I'm still a Time Lord, so my healing abilities are naturally faster than humans, what takes you six weeks, will take a week and half for me."

"Oh, well excuse me for caring," Rory said turning away.

"Sorry Rory, I didn't mean it in a derogatory way, it's just how I am, I do appreciate everything you've done, and I really do think you'd make a great doctor one day, you have the right personality for it, not to mention your hand writing is perfect for it, you'll be the first doctor with legible handwriting!" Laughed The Doctor, his laugh turning into a cough.

"Owww," groaning, The Doctor repositioned himself.

"Thanks Doctor," Rory grinned and helped The Doctor move.

"Now I'm going into a healing coma, I'll be out for a while, say hi to the girls and a reminder for the three of you, DON'T wander off!" and with those parting words the Doctor closed his eyes and relaxed his whole body.

The Doctor walked though his conscious mind, then his unconscious, through barriers long since forgotten but holding strong. He reached his misty place, dark and deep and floated into it. The world around him completely silent, he reached out with his primary thoughts, found his body, and started the healing process. The T.A.R.D.I.S giving him continuous energy, The Doctor taking it gratefully, by the time he was finished, it would be like nothing had happened at all.

For the next three days, the T.A.R.D.I.S's occupants watched and waited. They knew The Doctor was in a healing trance. It was so strange not having him bounding around like a child whose had too much sugar. It was eerily quiet.

Amy and River tried to compensate, but it was not the same. They missed their friend. Rory had decided that he was too mature to join in with their shenanigans, but that didn't last long. By the end of the third day, Rory was dressed in camouflage gear, armed with a paint ball gun, hunting his quarry of Amy and River. River had won 2 rounds and Rory one. Amy was determined this was hers. Rory was well aware of the tactics she would implement. He heard movement further down the corridor. He snuck quietly down against the wall and waited.

"Gotcha ya Amy!" he cried pelting the figure with paintballs.

"I can see that, thank you Rory, but I'm not your wife, also, you owe me a new bow tie, this one is covered in paint!" cried The Doctor in mock outrage.

"So I take it you found a way to amuse your selves then?"

Rory was beetroot red, stammering, he tried to apologize profusely, not getting a full word out before The Doctor reached into one of his bigger on the inside pockets and withdrew his own paintball gun.

"Rory. Run."

Enough said and seeing The Doctor's intent, Rory took off in the opposite direction, The Doctor counted to 60 before taking off after him.

* * *

The Doctor found River first, cornering her,

"Is this one of those times I'm supposed to be intimidated by you Doctor? 'Cause, like, it's not working." The Doctor just grinned, shot her, and took off, leaving a splattered River calling out indignantly.

"Since when were you playing anyway, Doctor?"

River could hear him laughing all the way down the corridor.

Rory was found in an old control room, it appeared to be his sixth self's control room. Reminiscing briefly, he heard rather then saw Rory creeping out.

"Nope! Not today Roricous!" The Doctor shot him square in the back and then front when he turned around.

"You know Doctor, for someone who is so against guns, you're certainly good enough with them" retorted Rory.

The Doctor gave him another shot before taking off in search if Amy, giggling.

"Males aren't supposed to giggle Doctor!"

The Doctor turned around and poked his tongue out before replying that he wasn't giggling, he was laughing softly.

Amy was found in the gym. It took her two seconds to realise she was being stalked, two more to realise who was stalking her, and one more to decide that avoidance just wasn't going to work. Best to play chicken. There was a brief stand off between the pair. The Doctor drew faster. Amy lost.

Meeting his paint splattered companions in the main console room, The Doctor took one look at them and took off in the opposite direction, his companions right on his tail.

After pummelling the Doctor and him getting a few good shots in himself, with the T.A.R.D.I.S on side to help, the four friends collapsed in the console room, filthy, a little bruised and happy.

"Well, that was fun, think I'll keep this paintball gun on me! Might come in handy!" a delighted Doctor said as he closely examined his toy.

Amy, fearing where this may lead piped up.

"You can't keep it Doctor…" she started.

"Why not? I let you keep Rory?" The Doctor interjected.

"Hey!" Rory hit him with another pellet.

"These never ending toys are awesome." sighed River.

"Oh well, let's go get cleaned up, meet back here in fifteen minutes and we'll be go on another adventure!" The Doctor jumped up heading towards a door that hadn't been previously there.

"What about the glowgum Doctor?" Rory asked.

"What about it Rory? You'll find the T.A.R.D.I.S has already taken possession of it." Smirking the Doctor went through the door and it disappeared.

"Well folks, let's do as he says." River stood, stretched and left, Amy and Rory doing the same.

* * *

Thirty minutes later found The Doctor twirling around the console and stroking it suggestively.

"Isn't that right Sexy?" he was over heard saying suggestively.

Rory coughed, once, loudly, The Doctor span around to face his smirking friends.

"Only when we're alone" he mumbled.

"Really, Doctor?" asked River, a perfectly shaped eyebrow rising slightly.

Embarrassed at being caught, The Doctor span around to face the smirking River eye to eye and her silently giggling parents just watched on in good humor.

"So where to next folks?, oh! Folks, I like that word, how about we go to Apivorous, where the ice cream melts if it gets too cold! Imagine that, ice cream that is too cold and needs to be kept warm! Their honey ice cream is the best! Though be careful, the locals are protective of it! Imagine, Bees! Running a whole planet, smarter then most humans I've met!"

The Doctor, straightening his tie then rubbing his hands together gleefully said. He started to adjust buttons and dials on the console when Amy placed a hand on his.

"Wait Doctor, not yet, we still need to talk about what the Brumes said, about Time Lords and fighting…torture… and we need to know that you're okay now"

The Doctor looked down at Amy's hand, covering his, and sighed. He slipped his hand out from under hers and walked past the others and to the jump seat. Sitting he shook his head and looked up, meeting the eyes of his friends one by one.

"It's a long story, happening long before I was even planned. You need to realize that evolution is not just growth of a species or a survival instinct. It can be chosen. There is your traditional version such as yourselves, evolving from monkeys and fish into humans and land animals, that's sideways evolution, survival. Then there is up ways evolution; the ability to evolve by choice. Transcending into other realms or dimensions is the most common. Then of course there are your basic technological evolutions. Earth is the perfect example of this, forever evolving yourselves to fit around your technology, you say you build what you need, well you only need it because you want to prove you can do it, and because you create your own need.

"The Brumes however created horizontal evolution. They didn't just evolve for survival they evolved for want at the same time, they chose to make their planet the way it is, and when they started to lose control of it and their civilization, they turned to Gallifrey and other such species for help. Help roughly being translated into; we can't use our own resources and planet so you can have ours and we'll take yours thank you very much, as you can imagine, it didn't go down so well."

"So… what happened, why the torture, it all seemed real to them in their memories, how can that be justified?" River asked tentatively.

Taking another deep breath The Doctor sighed again.

"Our history shows that the Brumes were attempting overthrow the High Council. Big no no. Gallifrey was a strict place of rules and regulations, you had to obey or be ostracized, as you can imagine, I was a real favorite, unless they needed someone to do their dirty work of course, then it was all pleasantries. They even made me president a few times, not that it lasted, I always ran, still am I suppose. Anyway, I digress. The Brumes were caught out, they failed to realize that while their mental capabilities where great, Time Lords as a collective can go farther then they could imagine. We beat them down the first time. Then they started what you would call chemical war fare. Time Lords were not always pacifists. Once we were monsters. That side came to light during that time. We fought back. We were bigger, smarter, and stronger, we had better communication then they did. We won, we banished them back to their planet. " Shuddering at the memory of his ancestry, The Doctor stood again, sagged and sat again.

Nobody said anything. Silence reigned. Tea was brought out from somewhere.

"We took their ability to create space travel. But they continued to find new methods of finding us, I mean, they knew our coordinates, but still galactic coordinates ten-zero-eleven-zero-zero by zero-two from galactic zero centre are not exactly hard to forget when you have been there enough times. Besides, Kasterborous was a large and glowing system. Very beautiful. Kind of hard to miss. The story goes that it got too much, we wanted peace. We decided to try a peace treaty. They agreed. The delegates we sent never returned, when we went looking, they had blown our people, along with the agreeing Brumes, up. The fire spread, some of the native toxins were explosive and the rest they say is history. Judging by what we witnessed, I'd say the story was just warped to alleviate guilt, or just because they are naturally cruel beings."

"But if stories can be twisted Doctor, how do you know it wasn't your people that made it up?" Amy asked somewhat hesitantly…

"Right! Enough of this, so, onto Apivorous?" The Doctor sidestepped the question,

"Enough of being in the past, let's go to the future!"

"But Doctor…" Amy tried again.

"I said enough!" He interrupted her angrily.

"It is in the past, there is no one left to collaborate with, just me and the T.A.R.D.I.S and some biased Brumes, let it go AMY!" The Doctor turned towards the console.

Amy suddenly understood she had pushed to far. She had never seen her raggedy man so uptight about talking. She backed down. Rory patted her on the shoulder and River gave her Mum a reassuring should squeeze.

The Doctor continued playing with the console.

"So, onto the bee planet for ice-cream yeah?" the Scottish girl asked, fake happiness barely hiding her feelings.

The Doctor turned at smiled at Rory, River and Amy, all traces of anger gone.

"On to Apivorous!" the Time Lord happily shouted,

"It really is the bees knees! And for the record, I'm fine, thank you, all of you."

The End


End file.
